


Once Upon a Stressful Afternoon

by ThisRoseHasAnotherName



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Anxiety, Anxious Peter Parker, Asexual Peter Parker, Awesome May Parker, Awkward Peter Parker, Bisexual Harley Keener, Coming Out, M/M, Peter Parker Gets a Hug, Peter Parker Has Anxiety, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is a Mess, Relatively new relationship, Teen Peter Parker, asexual!Peter Parker, awkward gay bois, bisexual!Harley Keener, teen Harley Keener
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:06:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26226859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThisRoseHasAnotherName/pseuds/ThisRoseHasAnotherName
Summary: Peter’s hand convulsed around Harley’s. He was sure now that the other boy sensed his nerves. There was no getting out of this.“Peter, babe, you’ve been anxious this whole time. Did I do something wrong?”Harley looked so wrecked that Peter felt his eyes burn.“No!” Peter protested, a little too loudly. Harley’s eyes widened. “No, Harley, you didn’t.”
Relationships: Harley Keener/Peter Parker, Peter Parker/Harley Keener
Comments: 15
Kudos: 206
Collections: Peter Parker





	Once Upon a Stressful Afternoon

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, all! This little ficlet came to be after reading far too many asexual Peter coming out stories, and I obviously had to contribute to the pile. This is unbeta'd and definitely unoriginal. I think I just needed to write something supportive (TW: mention of homophobic language) after hearing my mom talk about how confused LGBTQ+ people are today. She might not support me, but I support me. That's enough, right?
> 
> Anyway, thanks for stopping by! Comments are hugs!

Peter’s hand convulsed around Harley’s. He was sure now that the other boy sensed his nerves. There was no getting out of this.

“Peter, babe, you’ve been anxious this whole time. Did I do something wrong?”

Harley looked so wrecked that Peter felt his eyes burn. 

“No!” Peter protested, a little too loudly. Harley’s eyes widened. “No, Harley, you didn’t.”

Harley adjusted his grip on Peter’s hand.

“Little too tight,” he said, wincing.

Peter gasped and wrenched his hand away, holding the offending limb to his chest. He had promised never to hurt him again after holding his boyfriend’s wrist so tight it had left bruises.

“Sorry!” he choked. He stared at Harley’s hand, as if there were bruises already forming.

Harley made a fist and relaxed it.

“No harm done,” he assured Peter. “Didn’t hurt, Peter. Just uncomfortable.”

“Sorry!” Peter repeated.

Harley shook his head, looking like he wanted to reach out but not sure if Peter would be receptive.

“What is it, Peter?”

Harley was looking at him so intently, with such worry, that Peter knew he couldn’t keep it from him any longer. It was better to do this now than let them both get too attached.

Peter’s breath hitched.

“Harley-” He choked. 

With wide eyes he looked to Harley. He could do it. He had to do it. 

“Harley, I’m - I’m asexual.”

Peter immediately dropped his gaze, staring at his crossed legs. There. He’d done it. He felt no relief like he’d read that he would; instead, his anxiety started overflowing.

Harley said nothing.

Peter panicked.

“That means...what, exactly, for you?” Harley asked before Peter could bolt like his body was telling him he needed to.

Peter’s eyes gave up the fight and hot tears leaked down his cheeks. God, the shame.

“It means I don’t want to have sex. Ever.” His voice broke. “I’m sorry,” he pleaded. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but I _really_ like you, Harley, and I just wanted to have that - have us - a little longer. I’m so sorry.”

Harley reached out and grabbed Peter’s shoulders. 

“Peter, baby, breathe,” he instructed. “I’m not mad, I promise. I’m so proud of you.”

Peter’s head jerked up.

_“What?”_

Harley really didn’t look angry, but he did look upset. 

Peter was so confused.

“I’m so proud that you told me, Peter,” Harley said, eyes crinkling. “I’m not mad, I’m just worried that I said or did something that made you uncomfortable.”

“No, you didn’t!” Peter promised. Harley was so good. “Everything we did was good, great, even.”

Peter blinked, and more tears fell. He angrily wiped them away.

“Did?” Harley asked. “Are you breaking up with me?”

He sounded too heartbroken for this to go the way Peter assumed it would.

“You...You mean you don’t want to break up with _me_?” 

Harley stared at him, and then _guffawed_. Actually guffawed. 

“Why on earth would this make me want to break up with you?”

“Because I don’t - I can’t do that,” Peter explained. “Harley, I will never want to do that with you.” He tried to remember what May had said about his boundaries being respected. 

Harley’s hands slipped down his arms to his hands. 

“Peter,” he called, drawing Peter’s attention up to his face. “Babe. I am going to respect you, okay? This is _not_ a deal breaker for me.”

“But-”

“Peter.” Harley looked at him sternly. “I like you for you, not because I want to get in your pants. And not to be gross, but I can take care of myself.”

Peter’s expression must have been something to behold, because Harley looked exactly like he was choking on a laugh.

“Are you sure everything we’ve done together is okay?” 

Peter thought back.

“Um…” He squirmed on the couch cushion.

Harley looked horrified.

“What was it?”

“...I don’t...really...like kissing?” 

Harley blanched. 

“Not _kissing_ kissing, anyway,” Peter tried to reassure him. He wasn’t sure if he was making it better or worse. “I like when you kiss my head, or my neck, just not, like...with tongue? Or on the lips?”

Peter’s face felt like it was on fire. They had kissed on the lips a few times before, and every time Peter was just overcome with a sense of _wrongness_. He couldn’t explain it.

“What about cuddling?” Harley asked, completely serious.

Peter smiled for the first time throughout this whole conversation. 

“I love cuddling! I actually - crave. It?” he tried to explain. “Like I just want to touch you? But not that way!” Peter panicked, trying to make it absolutely clear he didn’t want to have sex. The thought honestly made him feel sick.

Harley looked relieved. 

“Good,” he said, scooching closer. “Because I also love cuddling with you.”

He smirked at him and nudged Peter’s legs so he could snuggle up to him.

Peter was so relieved in that moment that he felt dizzy. He had been such a wreck trying to avoid telling Harley, and then coming to the conclusion that he should probably tell his new boyfriend, and _then_ having that realization sink in. 

“Thank you,” he said quietly, leaning back so Harley could lean on him. His weight was grounding.

“Of course, babe,” Harley said. Peter could feel his voice vibrate in his chest. “I really like you, too, you know.”

Peter choked down the automatic response - “You do?” - and replaced it with “I’m glad.”

Peter found himself feeling heavy with drowsiness. The afternoon was so full of “big emotions” as May would say, and his body was feeling it. The sound of Harley’s breathing and the TV on in the background was enough to help him off to dreamland. 

He knew that Harley would want to talk more later, probably make sure and certain what was okay and what was not, but right now, it was enough to just...be.

**Author's Note:**

> I myself am asexual, and hate kissing. Even seeing other people kiss makes me queasy, but I know a lot of asexuals who are okay with some level of kissing. I've never met anyone else who is as opposed as me, so I might just be crazy, lol. I tried to make Peter a little more open to kisses. His love of cuddling comes from me, though! Look who's projecting - moi!


End file.
